From left, Dr. Ron Snyder, Dr. Galvin Guerrero, and Run Saipan president Edward Dela Cruz Jr. during the awards ceremony of the ‘22 Mile Race last Saturday at the parking lot of Tapped Out in Garapan. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)
Dr. Galvin Guerrero and Dr. Ron Snyder are proof that the academe can breed the most disciplined of runners.
Not only have these two fine gentlemen lead their respective institutions of learning, they’ve also found time in their busy schedules to complete a running streak or in Snyder’s case a two-year streak.
Guerrero, who completed his streak last Dec. 31 during Run Saipan’s Run from ‘22 Mile Race, is deeply honored to join the ranks of pioneers like Edward Dela Cruz Jr., Snyder, and streak runners from around the world.
“This process has helped me become healthier by losing some weight, lowering my blood pressure, and improving my running performance. I can now run a mile under 7 minutes, which is quite an accomplishment for me as I turn 50 in 2023,” said the Northern Marianas College president.
He admits that completing the streak wasn’t a bed of roses though.
“I have to admit, it was tough at times, especially when I traveled and had to run in airports or the frigid cold to ensure I wouldn’t miss a day.”
He said the most memorable run during the streak was last February in Washington, D.C.
“Temperatures dipped toward freezing! But it’s all been worth it, especially for my family as I do my best to stay healthy for them. My grandmother just turned 92, and I hope to live just as long as she has. Plus, as a college president, it was important for me to lead by example on my health journey. I hope that my example inspires others to do something that improves their health on a regular basis, whether it be by eating right, exercising more routinely, or running every day.”
Snyder, meanwhile, quoted Steve Prefontaine when asked about his thoughts in completing his second year of streaking.
“You cannot propel yourself forward by patting yourself on the back,” he wrote quoting the American long-distance running legend.
The Saipan International School headmaster said he won’t be stopping his streak soon as he’s not content with his 730 days of running at least a mile a day.
“While I am happy to have finished my second year, I am already looking forward to my next big milestone—1,000 days and my comma.”
Snyder said that will happen on her sister’s birthday next year and is dedicating his comma to her daughter, Jessika, to raise funds for the Prader Wili Alliance of NY.
PWANY is an organization dedicated to assisting people with her rare condition and those who would like to donate funds to Jessika to click on https://www.gofundme.com/f/runforpwanyin2023.
“One mile is the minimum goal but I actually set my goal to 2 kilometers this year. My most memorable run in 2022 was probably running with my daughter on her 200th day. She was in North Carolina, I was here and we called each other on WhatsApp and ran together.”
Synder, who made it two years of streak running last Dec. 30, came clean that he came close to quitting his quest for a second year.
“For me, two years isn’t the same degree of difficulty as one year was. Now, running is part of my daily life. But I have to admit, toward the end of the second year I was moving houses, finishing up the semester at school, doing extra work after we lost one of our admin team, the seniors were all clamoring to finish the university applications and we were in the midst of putting together the Run Saipan Half Marathon. There were days when I was just tired and it was tough to stay motivated.”
Fortunately for Snyder, Saipan streak pioneer and Run Saipan president Dela Cruz was there to be a source of inspiration.
“I am happy to say that I have also inspired others to start their own streak. My advice to anyone else wanting to start a streak, join a running club, follow International Streak Runners on Facebook, get someone in your corner and start. Know that it won’t always be easy. There will be days when you are tired or sick or just down. It is those days when it pays to have someone who will ask the question, ‘Have you run yet today?’” he said.